GEMS is the first school in UAE to implement BTEC in Schools

Dubai, UAE, 26th April 2011: Edexcel, the UK's largest awarding body, has announced that the first batch of UAE BTEC in Schools students will graduate this year from GEMS Cambridge International School.

The announcement was made during a recent visit to the school by Mr. Martin Cross, Chairman of Edexcel. GEMS Cambridge International is the first school in the UAE to implement BTEC in schools.

Mark Andrews, Regional Director, Middle East/North Africa/Caribbean, Edexcel, said: "We are proud to announce that BTEC is becoming more popular amongst schools as it is an internationally recognized vocational qualification where holders are eligible for an entry into a variety of undergraduate programs in universities across the world."

"We at Edexcel recommend that schools, colleges as well as local governments and businesses should work together to collectively promote this qualification, and ensure that learners gain the qualities valued by employers. This only can come through the effective implementation qualifications such as BTEC in Schools," Andrews added.

Edexcel's exclusive BTEC qualifications provide a practical, real-world approach to learning alongside theoretical background. They are designed both to replicate the professional working environment and provide learners with the skills, knowledge and behaviours they need to succeed in today's job market. Various opportunities for higher education are available for BTEC HND holders in North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Australasia.

Commenting on the visit of Mr. Cross, Mrs. Sandra Carter, Assistant Principal and Head of Strategic Curriculum Development, GEMS Cambridge International School, said: "We are delighted with the visit of Mr. Cross to the school. It reflects Edexcel's keenness to contribute to the educational development in the UAE. We have been providing the BTEC qualification for over one year now for more than 100 students in Business, Media, Travel & Tourism, Sports and IT. We expect to launch the Performing Arts qualification in September of 2011."

"The first batch of 13 students will graduate this year to hold the sought-after BTEC certificate. We expect these students to become more creative in terms of delivering high value work in different fields."

"We have faith in Edexcel not only because it is a part of the world's largest provider of education services, Pearson, but also because it has proved successful in putting business and education on the same track," added Carter.

Mr. Cross was escorted by other senior officials of Edexcel on the tour, including Mr. Nigel Kelly, Vice President International Schools, Pearson Education, and Mrs. Simone Taghizadeh, Middle East and North Africa Academic Regional Development Manager, Edexcel.

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© Press Release 2011